Reflecting on 2012

Walking the Path

Guess it's getting to be time I did my yearly reflections, because there's not a lot of time left in the year...

Well, that's my first reflection. Where did this year go?! Seriously. I feel like this time of year was only a few weeks ago, not a whole year ago now. Also, wasn't spring just showing up, and wasn't summer just here...? I don't know. I really don't. The year just flew by.

I think part of the problem is I spent the first chunk of the year in an unbelievable depression. It set in around February, and didn't let go until late April. I don't usually like to talk about it much, but depression and anxiety are things I've been dealing with for many years now. It does not get this bad very often, but this time... I don't know, I just dropped almost everything - not just spiritually, but in many places of my life. I just disconnected from almost everything. I worked through it, but it took me a good while to really get rolling again.

Interestingly, it was during this time that I had a fairly major spiritual experience - even though I was not at all practicing at that particular point. It just hit me in one night. Since those great big 'mysteries' are usually fairly personal, I won't go into it here, but it was a nice reminder of sorts during a very low point. 

So, when I was trying to get back into things, it was late spring already. I threw myself into herbalism. I worked hard and identified quite a few of the local plants I didn't know before, such as Crown Vetch. I wanted to do blog write-ups for all of them, but didn't get around to several of them. (In fact, I still have a half written article about Wild Carrot I need to finish and post.) That continued at a steady pace through the year, which has only recently slowed down as most things have died back.

Around late spring/early summer, I also found myself finally getting back into my regular pattern of devotionals, meditations, and so on (if slowly at first). I gained many small new understandings along the way. I also read many new books, which helped out in that area. Nothing major though, not like last year with it's huge shifts and changes - which is probably for the best.

All in all, this year really seemed to be less about my own spiritual growth, and more about helping others with theirs. While answering questions and helping out where I can is something I always try to do, that turned out to be a real focus this year. I guided several people to traditions that fit them, helped people put names to concepts they struggled with, gave people the boost they needed to get going - just as I was getting myself going again.

It was a year with a hard beginning, a slow year, but a year filled with many little accomplishments and new friends as well. I didn't achieve the few goals I'd set for myself last year, aside from the plant identification, but I strengthened my foundation considerably. Now, with 2013 rapidly approaching, I'm ready to tackle some of the spiritual goals that were put on hold. I have lots of hope for the coming year.